The concept of the sanctuary holds a significant place in biblical theology, representing a sacred space where God dwells among His people. Reverence for the sanctuary is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, emphasizing the holiness and sanctity of places dedicated to worship and the presence of God.

Old Testament Foundations

In the Old Testament, the sanctuary is first introduced with the Tabernacle, a portable dwelling place for God among the Israelites. God commands Moses, "And they are to make a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8). This command underscores the importance of creating a holy space where God's presence is honored and revered.

The construction of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem was carried out with meticulous care and adherence to divine instructions, reflecting the reverence due to these sacred spaces. The detailed descriptions in Exodus 25-31 and 1 Kings 6-7 highlight the significance of the sanctuary as a place set apart for worship and divine encounter.

Reverence in Worship

Reverence for the sanctuary is closely tied to the manner of worship conducted within its confines. The Levitical laws provided specific guidelines for offerings and sacrifices, ensuring that the worship of God was conducted with the utmost respect and holiness. Leviticus 19:30 instructs, "You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD" . This command links the observance of sacred times with the respect for sacred spaces.

The Psalms frequently echo the theme of reverence for the sanctuary. Psalm 5:7 states, "But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple" . This verse captures the attitude of humility and awe that worshipers are to bring into the presence of God.

New Testament Continuation

In the New Testament, the concept of the sanctuary evolves with the coming of Christ. Jesus Himself is described as the true temple, the embodiment of God's presence among humanity. John 2:19-21 records Jesus saying, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." He was speaking about the temple of His body . This shift emphasizes that reverence for the sanctuary is ultimately about reverence for Christ Himself.

The early church continued to hold reverence for places of worship, gathering in homes and later in dedicated buildings to honor God. The Apostle Paul reminds believers of the sanctity of their own bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, saying, "Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). This teaching extends the concept of reverence for the sanctuary to the personal lives of believers, calling for holiness and respect in all aspects of life.

Eschatological Vision

The book of Revelation presents an eschatological vision of the ultimate sanctuary, where God's presence is fully realized among His people. Revelation 21:22 declares, "But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple" . This vision points to the culmination of God's redemptive plan, where reverence for the sanctuary finds its fulfillment in the eternal worship of God in His immediate presence.

Throughout Scripture, reverence for the sanctuary is a profound expression of the holiness of God and the appropriate response of His people. Whether in the physical structures of the Tabernacle and Temple or in the spiritual reality of Christ and the church, the sanctuary remains a central theme in understanding the relationship between God and His worshipers.Leviticus 19:30
You shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 26:2
You shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
Nave's Topical Index

That the Ruler Relax not his Care for the Things that are Within ...
... as though his colour were changed, and the reverence that surrounded him grew pale
and disregarded before the eyes of men. The stones of the sanctuary also are ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter vii that the ruler.htm

Hallowing Christ
... 'The sanctuary was an ... If we take Christ into our hearts, and reverence and love Him
there, He will take us into His heart, and we shall dwell in peace, because ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/hallowing christ.htm

Letter viii. Public and Social Worship, and Sabbath Employments.
... to be feared in the assembly of his saints, and to be had in reverence of all them
that are about him." Always calculate to be seated in the sanctuary a few ...
/.../letter viii public and social.htm

"Whereby we Cry, Abba, Father. "
... THE SINNER'S SANCTUARY, OR, A DISCOVERY MADE OF THOSE GLORIOUS PRIVILEGES OFFERED
UNTO ... work, are here made up of a temper of fervency, reverence, and confidence ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xl whereby we cry.htm

Leviticus
... are to be slaughtered for food or sacrifice only at the sanctuary xvii.1 ... holiness
which Jehovah demands has to express itself not only in reverence for Himself ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/leviticus.htm

The Church, the Place of Worship
... said to Israel in the wilderness, "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I ... the earliest
days have had consecrated places which were held in reverence as distinct ...
/.../regester/the worship of the church/the church the place of.htm

A Soul Gazing on God
... The place of our sanctuary implies access to the inaccessibly High, communion with
the ... of God, by turning them into material for devout reverence; awe-struck ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/a soul gazing on god.htm

Westminster Abbey.
... and with all the nations of Northern Europe, that awakened reverence for Mediaeval ...
much its school, or its monastery, or its chapter, or its sanctuary, as the ...
/.../kingsley/lectures delivered in america in 1874/lecture i westminster abbey.htm

Example.
... with idle companions instead of coming to Church on Sundays, that they do not love
the worship of God, that they do not fear God, and reverence His sanctuary? ...
/.../baring-gould/the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/lviii example.htm

A Work of Reform.
... the heavens and the earth, and thus shows His claim to reverence and worship ... Those
who received the light concerning the sanctuary and the immutability of the ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /26 a work of reform.htm

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